When I think about holiday shopping for my gadget-obsessed friends, I normally point my mouse right to ThinkGeek, the perennial mainstay of online nerd retail. Problem is, sometimes ThinkGeek's selection of lightsabers and binary blankets is a little too geeky. That's why I'm pumped about Firebox, a U.K. site that just launched a stateside version. It's got plenty of ThinkGeek-ish toys, but the slant is a little less "World of Warcraft" and a little more "Old School." If you take a look at their product selection--high-speed coffee makers, pumpkin-carving drills, stealthy beer smugglers--you'll get the idea.

So, if you're gadget-shopping for a friend whose catch phrase is "You my boy, Blue!" rather than "I sense a disturbance in the Force," Firebox might be a welcome addition to your bookmarks list.

About the author

Caroline McCarthy, a CNET News staff writer, is a downtown Manhattanite happily addicted to social-media tools and restaurant blogs. Her pre-CNET resume includes interning at an IT security firm and brewing cappuccinos.
See full bio